


Social Interactionism

by merryfortune



Series: Vrains Event Fills [6]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS
Genre: Angst, Canon Divergent, Childhood Friends, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Hugsaku 2019, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Post-Canon, Pre-Canon, Pre-Slash, She/Her Pronouns for Roboppy (Yu-Gi-Oh!), bed sharing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-18
Updated: 2019-09-23
Packaged: 2020-10-21 00:29:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,024
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20684486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/merryfortune/pseuds/merryfortune
Summary: Prompt fills for Hugsaku 2019.Day 1:Temperature |“I’m cold and don’t want to be cold. Fix this.”| “You’re warm so I’ve decided to make you my personal heater. No take backs.” | “I forgot my umbrella and now I’m completely soaked, and you won’t stop staring at me.”Day 2:Touch |“That feels nice.”| “Squish, squish~” | “If you try to tickle me again, I’ll hit you in the face with my duel disk.”Day 3:Three Things | Favourite Food |Victory Snuggles!| “Oh no I seem to have accidentally fallen on top of you and now am too lazy to move. What a tragedy.”Day 4:Family | Found Family |“I can’t remember my parents’ faces.”| “I’m used to being alone, so it’s fine.”Day 5:AU | Canon Divergence |“I thought you had to kiss the princess to wake them up, not hug them!”| “There’s magic in holding hands and hugging, you know. So, we should do that. For a power boost. No other reason at all.”Day 6:Memories | Loss |Missing A Friend| “I’ve been wanting to talk to you for a long time.”





	1. Day 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yusaku tries to survive his first truly winter night alone since moving out from the orphanage he was placed in after the Incident.

The cold was abominable. Yusaku was certain it was going to snow tonight; maybe tomorrow. It was quite possibly already snowing somewhere, and Den City was copping the surrounding effect of it. It wasn’t even outside of the realm of possibility that it was snowing in Den City but as Yusaku tossed and turned, he wished that it wasn’t so cold. He felt as though his skin was freezing no matter how deep into his bed, he crawled.

He had dragged every single blanket out of his linen closet and put it on his bed, but it still wasn’t enough. Granted, he had only discovered an extra two blankets in there, and they were ridiculously thin, more suited to be an item of excessive comfort in the summer than anything practical in the winter. It just seemed so useless. Maybe he should have stayed at the group home that he was placed in, but he wanted to make it in the big world alone. He thought it was better that way. He didn’t really like people and people didn’t really like him.

Yusaku did like Roboppy though. Though, Roboppy wasn’t exactly “people”.

He couldn’t help but like Roboppy. He had pieced her together from start to finish using a week by week mail order magazine. It was gimmicky but it gave him something to look forward to each week and that was better than nothing at all. Or worse, the things which put him under stress such as his assessments and rent. He had enough to get by, but things could be better. He just wished he was old enough to get a part time job but for now, all he could do was subsist on the welfare program money that he got fortnightly. Still, he was looking forward to a year or so, when he could finally apply for a few jobs; the school already knew his circumstances and were, patiently, waiting for when he could fill in an application to explain his unorthodox extracurriculars.

Yusaku curled up, foetal, beneath all his blankets. He still shivered as he listened to the howl of the wind. It was demonic. He huffed and found a little, bitter comfort in the fact that he couldn’t see his breath. Though, downstairs or maybe just above, he had no doubt in his mind that he would be able to.

He closed his eyes and strained his ears. He could hear the click of wheels on hardwood flooring. Maybe he should invest in carpeting or even a few more rugs if that was cheap; would that help insulate him? He wasn’t sure.

Regardless, he crept out from underneath his blankets and quilts. He felt a headache bud and crown him as he did so. His skin prickled beneath the thin cotton of his pyjamas. He cleared his throat.

“Roboppy?” he called out carefully; he didn’t want his neighbours to hear him, he tried his best to be as much as a ghost as humanly possible.

“Yes, master?” A tinny and robotic voice returned his question.

He smiled to himself and a few moments passed. Roboppy soon wheeled herself into his room. In the lowlight, her chassis looked to be a deeper and darker blue. He almost liked that. He was fond of the colour blue, though, secretly, he did prefer purple. Roboppy looked up at him and awaited orders.

“Yes, master?” she said, yellowy eyes blinking slowly like an electronic cat.

“I’m cold and I don’t want to be.” Yusaku confessed. “Fix this.”

“I will reroute my energy source to function as a heater, if you like.” Roboppy suggested.

“Thanks, Roboppy.” Yusaku said.

He went to turn over again but instead, Roboppy lifted up her arms. Yusaku blinked. He leaned out over the bed slightly.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“It might be more effective if I am close to you.” Roboppy said.

Yusaku sighed. “Alright.”

He bent down and picked Roboppy up. Her shell was lukewarm, but he could already feel the rerouting of her heater mechanics. He placed her on the bed and protectively cradled her. Yusaku kept her close and he listened to the purr of her little engine. She was warm and it was nice; like having a heat pack.

“Thank you, Roboppy.”

“Anything for you, master.” she chirruped in reply and finally, Yusaku could feel himself ease into sleep for the first time in hours.


	2. Day 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yusaku discovers that being the middle spoon is suffering (in the best way possible).

Yusaku wanted to groan. Spectre was already asleep, and he was heavy. Ryoken wasn’t quite asleep, but he wasn’t awake either. He was also heavy. They were both so skinny and scrawny standing up – not that he could talk, he was both those things as well – but lying down, they both seemed incredibly contrary to their appearances. Still, Yusaku was uncomfortable, but unfortunately, he was uncomfortable in what he was quickly considering the best way possible.

Their bodies might have been heavy, but their faces were soft. To his left, Ryoken was drowsing beside him. Nearly falling asleep. His lips moved slightly whilst his breathing slowed; his eyelashes, long, fluttered once in a while and he looked content. His hands had curled in against Yusaku’s, his fingers tracing against Yusaku’s, fingering the edges of his bones, as though to feebly soothe him and coax him into sleep as well.

Meanwhile, to Yusaku’s right, Spectre was all but sleeping atop of him. His right arm was splayed out across Yusaku’s chest, as though reaching for Ryoken or perhaps to half embrace him, and his left arm was nestled in against Yusaku’s side. He had grabbed Yusaku’s hand and content with how he was possessively holding onto Yusaku, Spectre had permitted his head to droop and his chin to jut in against Yusaku’s chin and shoulders. He had a very pointy chin and it was digging in most uncomfortably but given how happy Spectre seemed, Yusaku didn’t particularly want to do anything to forsake that so he allowed it. His breath was soft against Yusaku’s skin; gradual and warm.

Yusaku was surprised though by how easily Spectre could fall asleep. He wished he had that ability. He takes quite some time but right now, given how warm and cosy he was – all three were, really – underneath the sheets, blankets, doona and even arm. Regardless, Yusaku was of the hypothesis that he would be quicker asleep, by his measure anyway, if he was on the outside. Being on the inside was too much. It made his heart pound and his blood race.

He needed to get away. Or at least, have the option of being able to get away. Being on the inside was too hot and he felt entrapped or entombed being squished between two bodies. It was terrifying. Too close. But he kind of liked it too. He wanted to like that feeling of being too close because it was securing, and it made his heart flutter. He just wasn’t at that point yet.

And he suspects that Ryoken knows that. After all, he had been very unfairly teamed up against in the first place with Ryoken and Spectre very tactically flanking him after he had gone to bed first. And now they were all piled into the master bed as they were. Yusaku had been miffed by it at first but now that they had finally gotten used to each other, he wanted to smile over it.

He glanced at Ryoken. His brow twinged. “Why are you staring?” he murmured.

“I’m not.” Yusaku lied, he exhaled sharply and wanted to know how Ryoken had noticed him. “I’m just thinking.”

“About?” Ryoken asked.

“That this is nice.” Yusaku whispered.

Ryoken smiled. He snuggled in closer. “I’m glad to hear it.”

Yusaku shifted slightly beneath him. Spectre sighed and Yusaku glanced at him. He nattered to himself and suddenly, Yusaku wondered. He moved slightly, taking his hand away from Ryoken.

“Don’t.” Ryoken warned him. “Just go to sleep; don’t bother Spectre.”

Yusaku huffed. “Fine.” He smiled; half amused.

He let Ryoken continue to hold his hand. He also continued to wonder how Ryoken was reading him so well with his eyes closed. All Yusaku wanted to do was check to see if Spectre was experiencing REM sleeping because based on his breathing, he seemed pretty gone and Yusaku refused to believe that someone could fall asleep so heavily in such a short span of time. Also, he thought it would be freaky in a cool way to see if people’s eyes really did move like that when sleeping. Though, he would admit, Ryoken might have a point. Spectre would probably not appreciate him touching him like that; especially if he wasn’t actually that deeply asleep like he wanted Yusaku and Ryoken to believe.

Still, it was nice. Yusaku relaxed into the pillow again. He closed his eyes and tried to calm himself, but he was weirdly excited instead.


	3. Day 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yusaku visits Miyu at the hospital where she proceeds to bully him.

Aoi was the one who gave him this idea. She put it in his head in passing, no different to how she passed her coins along to pay for her meal and drink at Cage Nagi. However, Yusaku didn’t like the idea, but it was probably a good one: he ought to go and visit Miyu. He didn’t run it past Takeru or Kusanagi, but he was sure that they would both agree that it was in everyone’s best interest.

It was probably important for them both to talk; there was a good chance that this was going to be her first-time meeting someone who had gone through the traumatic event as her. Ergo, it would probably be good for them both. Yusaku’s worldview could expand and maybe, Miyu would get some closure. Who knows? Yusaku, having met Spectre, was no longer so confident in what he thought would be universal truths of pain and hurting.

Besides, Yusaku was a little bit curious about what she would be like. Miyu was Aoi’s childhood best friend and Originator to Aqua. She was bound to be interesting but as he wasn’t a naturally social person, that did unsettle him to wander outside of his comfort zone. Even if it was with good intentions.

So, Yusaku found himself, after his shift at Café Nagi, at the Den City Hospital.

It had been a while since Aoi’s hospitalisation; that was the last time that he had visited it. Before that, he had come with Kusanagi to visit Jin. That had been an experience, to say the least but given that Miyu wasn’t nigh catatonic, he doubted that he had to worry about the same things that he had to worry about when it came to meeting Jin.

Getting to her room was far easier than Yusaku thought. He played a very awkward, and honestly rather unconvincing, “I’m a friend of the patient’s” card and he got in straight away. The receptionist gave him a number and a location then Yusaku was free to go find said location which was simple enough.

Yusaku was good with things like numbers and patterns so he picked up on the hospital’s internal system quite easily. Not to mention, he did have a little bit of past experience behind him but soon enough, he found himself outside of a room – a _private _– room labelled Sugisaki Miyu. He took a breath and he felt all the more aware that he was a stranger to this girl – and a strange stranger at that. He took another breath and knocked on the door.

“Who is it?”

The voice which promptly greeted him was blithe and chirpy. He swallowed. “I’m Fujiki Yusaku. We don’t know each other but we have something in common. A few things in common. I’m a friend of Zaizen Aoi, I believe she visited an hour or two earlier…?”

His words were uncertain. He felt awful calling himself a friend of Aoi’s, but he felt even more awful hinting towards the Lost Incident to use to cement the connection, the very close connection, in his opinion, between himself and Miyu. He waited for Miyu’s reply, breathing heavily and with trembling hands.

The door soon opened. Curious, blinking eyes opened up to him; they were slate grey yet so cheerful, curious too.

“You know Aoi-chan?” she asked.

“I’m her classmate.” Yusaku said. “I’m also her ally; she is Blue Angel, after all. And I’m Playmaker.”

Miyu gasped. “Well then, we have much to talk about, don’t we?”

She grabbed Yusaku from behind the door which violently flung back and hit the wall. She clutched onto him and carted him inside all whilst he protested. She pushed him onto the bed and then, nearly skipping, returned to the doorway so she could close it – and lock it.

Yusaku trembled on the bed. Very interesting. Yep, Miyu was a very interesting girl, alright. Just like his feared.

She flounced back to him and sat on the bed. It was stiff yet she got it to bounce with her weight regardless. Now, they were sitting knee to knee and shoulder to shoulder. She leaned into him with great curiosity but then it failed. The energy she built up to came to a screeching halt. She hesitated but soon broke out of whatever shell had briefly stopped her.

She hugged him. She nuzzled against his shoulders and squeezed him tight. Yusaku grunted.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“Victory snuggles.” she chirruped. “You won! Congratulations! That’s fantastic; winning is the best!” Her voice was hyper, but it dulled, turned sombre. “Whenever I won, all I wanted was a big old hug from my Mother or from Aoi-chan. Weren’t you the same…?”

Miyu lifted her head and Yusaku stared down at her eyes. They were watery. Even though she was suffocating him, she let him pull back his arm. He patted the top of her head.

“No, not really.” he told her. “The Incident erased all my memories prior to entering that room. I could only hug myself… I couldn’t even daydream of being hugged by someone I loved.”

“That’s awful…” Miyu mumbled.

She hugged him tighter still. Yusaku fumbled with a smile. He kept patting the top of her head, stroking her hair. It was really silky. Girls – Miyu – had pretty hair, he observed. Hers was such a nice and rich chestnut colour. He really liked it.

“For me, during the Incident and then afterwards, I felt as though time had stopped. And only recently, do I feel like time has started again… do you know what I mean?” he asked, misery in his voice.

Miyu hummed and Yusaku felt it in his skin and bones.

“Yeah, I think so.” Miyu murmuring; sinking in on herself. “I think our circumstances were really different. I’m an upper middle-class brat. I have loving parents… good friends… good counsellors and doctors. My friends, the ones who don’t know, always say I’m one of those idiots who don’t get sick. I’m stupidly resilient, apparently. I don’t always feel like it, but I just bounce back from things. Even the Incident. I’d always get up. To reunite with Aoi-chan, that’s all I thought. I to tell her truth… That’s all I wanted. And then I got a taste for victory and I have one hell of a competitive streak so that just dosed me up some more. I didn’t enjoy it by any stretch of the imagination, but I hanker for something similar to it. The high stakes, the danger: it’s my pride. If I could conqueror that – and I did – then I can do anything. Ask anyone at my high school, I’m the queen of every sport you can imagine. And I say that with merit, too. Do you know what I mean?”

Yusaku was silent as he postulated on Miyu’s perspective. He wasn’t certain that he knew what she meant. He had always slunk into the shadows, not wanting to stand out. She smiled enigmatically though but such a smile soon faded. Miyu then took a deep breath and she finally let him go. She straightened up her back only to keep resting on him. Yusaku was endeared but he knew it was only because this was their first encounter. She seemed like she was going to be an annoying girl – annoying person – to be around.

“Thank you for coming to visit, Yusaku.” Miyu said. “Can I call you Yusaku? Or would you prefer Playmaker-sama? Playmaker… chan? Oh, oh! I know! Yu-chan. You can be Yu-chan.”

“I’d prefer it if you didn’t call me any of those things but I somehow suspect that you won’t listen to me if I protest it.” Yusaku said.

Miyu giggled. “Too true, Yu-chan.”

“I take it that Aoi informed you of the past few months…?” Yusaku asked.

“Yeah. She told me the truth about the Tower of Hanoi… I would never have imagined that thingy was related to the Incident.” Miyu said. “She told me about Aqua… My blue fairy. I remember her. I remember Aqua. I – I spent so long screaming and in pain during my coma, but it stopped for just a few moments and I remember her. She was small and tiny and blue… I miss her.”

“I miss her too. Ai misses her a lot… and I miss Ai. He keeps vanishing… I don’t think he’s coming back this time. He needs some space.”

“The Dark… Ignis, yes?” Miyu said. “And Aqua is the Water Ignis.”

“Correct.”

Miyu quietened after that. She took a simpering breath and Yusaku, tentative, put his arm around her.

“I wish I could have been there.” she confessed. “I was there… Ten years ago. My duelling… and all that entails helped to make Aqua. I wish I could have been with you as well. Maybe things could have been different. No, they would have been different.”

“You’re a good Duellist then, I take it?” Yusaku asked and he felt as though he had held onto Miyu for long enough.

He could feel her scent permeate onto his day clothes. She smelt nice though; of shampoo and conditioner, sickly sweet, and brought from home but also of the general air of the hospital. Regardless, he retreated awkwardly. She didn’t mind. She held a ditsy smile on her face.

“Only the best in my high school.” she said.

“That’s good to hear.” Yusaku said. “Well, if trouble brews. Then who knows? We might come back and call on you, if you're feeling well enough.”

“You’re a good guy, Yu-chan. And here I thought, you would be an asshole because of how Aoi-chan talked about you.” Miyu said with a shit-eating grin.

Yusaku stiffened. “I see.” He took a breath. “Well, I might go… I think I’ve achieved all I can here.”

“Yeah, and visiting hours’ll be over soon as well.” Miyu hummed.

Yusaku got up. Miyu giggled to herself and struck her hand on his thigh. A tingle jolted up through his spine and he could have sworn that he felt the skin burn beneath the denim of his jeans.

He robotically turned to Miyu, proud as punch regarding her sexual harassment of him, “Why?!” he asked, breathy.

“Why not?” she laughed. “Anyway, it was nice meeting you, Yu-chan.”

“It was good to meet you as well, Sugisaki-san.” Yusaku said.

Miyu pouted. “You can call me Miyu-Miyu, if you like or anything else. Don’t be so formal, it’s boring.”

Yusaku took a few more steps towards the door and he turned back to her, he sighed. “I’ll think about it… Miyu.”

“That’s better than nothing.” she shrugged. “Have a good afternoon then. Let’s keep in touch; TTYL! Oh! And the next time we meet, I’ll come up with a cool and funky codename, maybe you’ll take to calling me that, Playmaker-chan.”

Yusaku cringed. Yes, it was undeniable at this point. Sugisaki Miyu was an interesting girl. But, thinks he knows why Aoi was so charmed to her. She was fun and playful; it was a nice pace, as different and off kilter, as it was. And no wonder Aqua was so responsible and mothering, the girl was a brat who needed all the scolding she could get. Maybe he could get through to her and teach her some manners…

He pondered the thought as he wandered off down through the busy halls of the hospital.


	4. Day 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Spectre is sensitive to certain topics, Yusaku forgets that sometimes - or, more accurately, hasn’t realised it consciously.

The words just slipped out. It was thoughtless. He genuinely wasn’t thinking, and he certainly wasn’t thinking that it was anything big or moving yet, Spectre immediately put down all his distaste for Yusaku’s apartment and hugged him. And he did so with urgency. He treated it like it was some sort of ground-breaking revelation.

His arms latched around Yusaku’s torso and he buried his face in against Yusaku’s shoulder. Yusaku stiffened. He didn’t like to be touched. He didn’t like to be touched by Spectre. He was just here to be annoying and kill time. But suddenly, all that apathy and apprehension was gone as that embrace tightened and Yusaku choked on his words.

_ I can’t remember my parents’ faces…_

That was all he had said. But then again, look who he had said it to. He had said something so innocuous, in his opinion as it was just the tip of the iceberg when it came to all his troubles and traumas, but he had said it to Spectre. Spectre who yearned and craved parental, particularly motherly, attention.

“I’m so sorry, that must be awful.” Spectre murmured.

Yusaku’s heart pounded in his chest and his throat felt clogged. His eyes watered and he hugged back. He didn’t want to, but he knew he ought to. And when he did so, he noticed all sorts of things about Spectre which he wouldn’t have otherwise noticed, Yusaku realised. He smelt of expensive bergamot aftershave and clipped grass. Not to mention, Spectre’s frame was so skinny, he immediately noticed as held down the clothes he wore which gave him a little bit of extra bulk since there were so many layers to them. His clothes were heavy, felt scratchy on Yusaku’s fingertips.

Still. It was a nice hug. Yusaku eased into it. He felt strangely soothed by it. Even when he felt as though his skin should be crawling since there was a rock or bounce to how Spectre cradled him.

“Thanks.” he mumbled into Spectre’s collar, beginning to tremble.

With a breath, Spectre withdrew himself and turned embarrassed. He fiddled with his collar and jacket.

“Please pardon me, that was… That was uncharacteristic of me.” Spectre’s words sounded muddled and his face was flushed with a scant hue of red.

Yusaku smiled. “It’s okay. I – I, uh, needed that.”

“I know.” Spectre harrumphed, prickly. He crossed his arms. “I really should get going. I have errands to run.”

“Are you sure?” Yusaku piped up. “I think I have teabags somewhere; do you want to have something to drink before you go?”

“I’ll be right. I have picky tastes but thank you for the offer.” Spectre said.

He huffed and Yusaku made a mental note of buying teabags when he was next down the street. Though, he wondered if one of Spectre’s errands was to have visited him in the first place. It seemed like the kind of wild goose chase Ryoken would give Spectre nowadays to help him occupy his time given that they weren’t cyber terrorists anymore.

Yusaku lingered by the threshold whilst Spectre put on his shoes. He looked terribly annoyed with himself when he couldn’t jam them onto his feet quick enough.

“Please, visit again soon.” Yusaku said.

“I’ll think about it.” Spectre replied. “I’ll be going now.”

He straightened up his back and hurried for the door.

“I’ll be seeing you.” Yusaku called out as he watched Spectre leave.

He didn’t want Spectre to leave but Yusaku felt like he knew him a little bit better now. He was weird and awkward but somewhere beneath that calcified shell of general callousness towards the outside world, there was some good, kindness, in him.


	5. Day 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Class 1-A of Den City High School are putting on a performance of Sleeping Beauty for the Cultural Festival. Preparations are not going smoothly.

Yusaku stared down the paddle pop stick that he had drawn. He swallowed, gulped, and glanced around. People were curious. Most were expecting him to be tech support. He had also been expecting that sort of outcome as well. He thought that he would be the sound or lighting guy because it was an open secret that he was rather good with that sort of thing. Besides, there were more of those sorts of roles than there were acting roles and yet, somehow, luck had betrayed him.

Not only had Yusaku drawn the lot which said actor, he had also drawn the lot which was coloured to indicate which role he had been given: Prince Charming. The student, their class representative, nodded at Yusaku once it had been drawn. He then twisted around briefly and called out to his assistant on the steeple.

“Prince Charming. Fujiki Yusaku.”

“Got it.”

Naoki snickered beside him, slapped him across the back in good nature: “Good goin’, Fujiki, and now let’s see… who’s your leading lady?”

Yusaku glowered. He wanted to contest this or swap with someone, but the teacher had made it final. There was to be no take backs of any kind, no matter how clueless or ill-suited one might be for their fated role, there was to be contesting of any sorts. The only exception being if an emergency came up such as injury or illness. And unfortunately for Yusaku, he had already used up all his termly get-out-of-class excuses.

He sighed and looked around. He wished that he had been paying more attention, but instead, he had been dozing in and out, watching clouds outside because it was a dreary sort of day for him, more so than usual given the circumstances. So, Yusaku checked the smartboard and it seemed that the branches of all their roles had been updated.

At the furthest end, he saw his name and his role. And right beside it, he saw it: Zaizen Aoi, Sleeping Beauty. Yusaku’s eyes widened. He supposed that things could be worse. At least it was someone whom he was vaguely close to rather than one of the other girls in their class.

A few moments later and the last of the stragglers drew their roles and Yusaku couldn’t help but be vaguely jealous of those who had drawn the lots that he had been eyeing. Nonetheless, he figured that he ought to exceed the expectations placed upon him. The Cultural Festival was important, it was good for the morale of the school and helped draw in new students. And since Yusaku had a main role, he couldn’t half ass it because it would reflect poorly on everyone, but he really wished that they were putting on a café stall instead. At least he could cook or do waitering but instead, he was in a class with the next president to be of the school’s theatre club, something he didn’t know until now, and she had far more weight in this class than him which had influenced the voting.

So, Yusaku spent the next few days learning his lines once he had gotten his script. Rehearsals didn’t start for another few days and classes would be shut down for three days in preparation for the festival, so it was urgent that he knew them prior. Besides, it wasn’t like there was much else for him to do. Things were quiet now that the Link VRAINS was fully defunct unless one was privy to the Ignis Algorithms which kept it so firmly shut down so focusing on school and daily life was all that could be done for Yusaku. Still, there was one element of the script which concerned him. Well, a few elements but some were more anxiety inducing than others.

He figured that he could learn to dance. There was only one short song and dance scene that Prince Charming and Briar Rose shared but Yusaku thinks that it should be simple. It was one step this way and one step that way and twirl. It was very methodical, at least on paper and music was more mathematical than some may suspect so Yusaku was certain that his awkwardness regarding dancing could be cured; especially since he had little miss theatre club president to be breathing down his neck. It seemed like nothing a little – a lot – of practice and hard work couldn’t resolve.

It was a scene at the other end of the play which had Yusaku extremely nervous. There was one teeny tiny stage direction which Yusaku was most certainly not comfortable with. At the climax, and consequent ending, of the play, Prince Charming was supposed to kiss Sleeping Beauty on the mouth. He hoped to have this changed once he spoke to the class representative who seemed quite accommodating.

Yet those hopes were dashed quite quickly. Yusaku was simply laughed at and made fun of – “What are you, a grade schooler?” – upon suggesting the kiss on the mouth was, at the very least, made a kiss on the hand. Yusaku blushed but at least Aoi was sympathetic when he relayed the story to her during the lunch break. Then, in some extra token of consolidation, she told him that angles would obscure the kiss so being pecked on the cheek would likely suffice. Yusaku wasn’t so sure but he did try to appreciate what Aoi had told him regardless.

They spent most the morning as Yusaku thought they would: concentrating their energy on the dance and other early bits of the play. The dance – a waltz – was far easier to learn than he feared. He was also surprised that Aoi was quite adept with it; apparently, she used to play princesses as a child and that somehow figured into her current dancing ability. Yusaku didn’t get it but it sounded nice.

After the lunch break, it was exactly how they feared: concentrating their energy on the second half and later bits of the play. Still, with all the grace he could muster, Yusaku did his best. It turns out that he should have spent some time worrying about the choreography of the fight scene as well. He didn’t realise that making such a thing look good was just as intensive, maybe even more so, than making a waltz look good. Still, the Evil Fairy made for a good sparring partner.

And then they got to that scene. Aoi was returned to stage and Yusaku knelt by her. He fumbled with his lines, but he had been praised that he even knew any of his lines at all; his slacker façade was that strong. His heart pounded as he stared down Aoi, closed eyes, hands on her stomach, and in her school uniform. His palms sweated.

He leaned in. So did the director and all their other classmates. And just when it seemed that Yusaku would kiss her, he failed. His arms flung out and he hugged her instead.

“Yusaku!” Aoi screamed with amused hysteria. She ripped herself up from her makeshift tomb; a bunch of desks draped in linen, at present. Yusaku still held onto her but now he felt as though his chin were in her lap and he did not want to think where the crown of his head was. “I told you. I don’t mind you kissing my cheek.”

Yusaku gingerly stopped hugging her and fell back. He crossed his legs. “I can’t do it…” A voice in his head then, in a voice which most certainly did not belong to him – or even his Ignis – then supplied an additional thing to say, _I’m socially awkward_.

Behind them, from the audience’s boughs, the director sighed: “From the top. And Yusaku, you know what? Focus on you remembering your lines before worrying about kissing Aoi.” He scolded.

“Understood.”


	6. Day 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Go muses about a boy with blue hair and green eyes that he played with when he was a kid.

There was a kid with blue hair that Go remembered playing with as a kid.

There were lots of kids who would come and go, both at the orphanage and from the streets. Some brats were lucky to have a mum and a dad and a house, others not so much but in the park, playing games, there wasn’t much difference between them all. They were all here to have fun. Go honestly cherishes those memories. Everything from going out and playing Duel Monsters in the streets to bug hunting with his best friend Makoto, there was a lot of cheer in those sunshiney, idyllic childhood days.

But there’s one kid who’s on Go’s mind, right now. He wasn’t too sure why but maybe he was just feeling nostalgic for those younger days; especially with everything weighing as heavy it was ever since his duel – and consequent – loss to that blasted Playmaker. Those green eyes were piercing. Go mulled over those memories from younger times.

Yu- Yusei…? No, Yu…saku? Maybe, he’s not sure but he remembers what the boy looked like – blue hair, green eyes, tiny little thing who often wore these ruddy-coloured, satin boots and a brown, canvas jacket.

Go found it amusing that this kid had green eyes too. Basically, the same in colour but that kid – yeah, Yusaku, his name was definitely Yusaku – but his were way more excitable. He was the worst at Duel Monsters, as well but he was just happy to play. He cared about his cards a lot which Go found cute. That was something which made a good Duellist; if they respected their cards and that kid had a lot of love for his basic little Light deck that he had going on.

He was fun to mess around with, that Yusaku kid. He was light as a feather and always howled with laughter when he was picked up and hugged from behind. Chucking him in the air was easy; especially when you were as big and naturally strong as Go.

Go always wondered what happened to that kid. He was a good kid; most of the time, he showed up at the park, looking to duel – or hell, to just make friends. He was friendly enough, maybe a little bit awkward. He didn’t talk much about his family – or if he had one at all. He wasn’t exactly a regular in Go’s more explorative circles, but he was still a familiar face and then one day. He up and vanished.

Go always thought that he would come back. He was a bit like a cat that boy. Those eyes, that quiet demeanour, that love of attention yet reviling of it anyway. So, it made sense that one day, he would just drift somewhere else – play at a different park, make different friends, and so on and so forth – but this vanishment lasted a month; way longer than what Go expected. Maybe he moved towns; maybe he got grounded and forgot about everyone. Go wouldn’t lie. He forgot about this Yusaku kid as well but even then, reviewing the memories, he was definitely gone. Maybe even upwards of six months. Worse still, no one remembered him.

Go wondered if it was worth bringing up with Makoto. Shoot him a message and ask him if he ever found out what happened to that Yusaku kid that they played with a handful of times as kids. But Makoto was probably busy. Go didn’t want to distract him from his studies.

Still, and Go swears by this, if he ever sees this Yusaku kid again, all grown up, no matter what and no matter where, he’d bear hug that guy. And it would be just like when they were kids; even if he protested, Go wouldn’t let him down. He would pick him up, off his feet and swing him about. Go would squeal with laughter and who knows what sort of noises this grown up Yusaku would make but Go had a feeling they would be awkward and hilarious. Then, he’d set Yusaku down and hopefully, they could reconnect.

That would be nice. It’s just a shame though, Go doesn’t really know why he’s thinking about this when there were more pressing things at hand, but Playmaker’s green eyes were really messing him up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big thank you to tasteslikeciel for organising the Hugsaku event!!!! <3 <3 <3


End file.
